Disappearing door structure



' Oct. 11, 1932. A. VANDERVELD DISAPPEARING noon STRUCTURE Filed March 24. 1930 1. 6 5 5 8 2 0 m x 1 1 mix m w u 9 w w 3 1m r I M w f 4 Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlcn ANTHONY VANDERVELD, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO GRAND RAPIDS STORE EQUIPMENTCORPORATION, OF OF MICHIGAN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, A CORIOIRATION DISAPPEARING DOOR STRUCTURE Application filed March 24, 1930. Serial No. 438,269.

This invention relates to a door structure particularly, adapted for use on showcases wherein theidoor may be turned from its closed position upwardly and to the rear into the case, being received for the greater portionthereof into the case.

It is a primary object and purpose "of the present invention to provide a simple, practical and economically constructed device of the, character noted in which the door is mounted by means which guides the door evenly in its movements at both ends thereof so there will be no cramping or binding of the door .by reason 'of' twisting from proper position.

Many other objects and purposes other than those stated will be apparent upon understanding of the. invention had from the description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which, r

Fig. 1' is. a fragmentary front elevation partly in section of a show case equipped with the door structure of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section substantially on the plane-of line 2-2 .of Fig.1.. I

' Fig. 3 is a section, similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but with the door in its open in stead of closed position. 1

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section substantially on the plane of line 44 of Fig. 1 looking downwardly as indicated by the arrow, and

Fig. 5 is a similar section on the plane of line 5 5 of Fig. 1 looking downwardly.

Like reference characters refer'to like parts in the different figures of the drawing.

The show case has a bottom or base member 1' which inxpractice extends a distance in front of the front'side of thec'ase. Spaced apart vertical posts 2 are connected with and extend upwardly from the bottom 1 and these I .are preferably faced at theirvouter sides with thin'metal plates 3. v

Between any two'ad'jac'ent posts the door structure of my invention is adapted to be mounted. "A metal plate4is secured by.

' screws or other suitable fastenings to the adjacent sides of the spaced apart posts, said plate extending from the lower end substantially to the upper end of the post and at its upper end portion being formed with an inwardly extending ear 5, on which a roller or rounded pin 6 is mounted and located at right angles to the ear .5. While in the disclosure of the invention the plate 4 is shown at one side only; of a post 2it is to be under stood that in theconstruction of the case, particularly where it is of considerable length, the intermediate posts located between the end posts will be equipped with the plates 4 at both sides for the mounting of a plurality of doorsat the front of a show case. Each of the plates 4 adjacent its front edge and a distance below its lower end carries a stop pin 7 as shown in Fig. 3.

A horizontal rail 8 is located above and connected with the upper ends of the posts 2 and at its front side is faced with a metal face 9 which extends downwardly over the upper ends of the front facings 3 of the posts, covering the joints and presenting an attractive appearance. A top'plate, 10 of glass is sup ported at its front on the rail v8 and it is of course under-stood that the case at the rear "and at the ends is formed with suitable. frame supporting structures for a glass back and glass ends, none of which are of importance in connection with the present invention.

Y Inthe door structure, a lower horizontal inverted U or channel shaped member 11', together with other U-shaped channel members 12'at each end thereof and extended at right angles therefrom, are connected together by corner angle plates 13' forming a U-shaped frame into whichthe. glass is inserted. At the outer side of each, of the members 12 an angle bar 14 is permanently secured by welding, riveting or other connecting means. The length of the, member 11 is such that when the angle bars 14 are attached to the members 12 and a plate of glass is secured in frame, the space between the plates 4 on any two adjacent posts 2 is sub stanti ally filled.

Before the glass frame described, a bail-like mounting is assembled therewith, including a cross rod15 which seats in the bottom of the memberll and at its ends extends beyond the same, ha r is placed the metal ing legs 16 turning substantially at right The legs l6 of the bail lie back of the front flanges of the angle bars 14: and in the closed position of the door are completely covered and disguised thereby. A filler member 18 islocated over the connecting rod 15 and then the glass plate 19 is slid in the channels of the end members 12 until its lower edge abuts against the filler 18. The glass is re tained in place by a metal strip 20 lying over its upper edge and connected at its ends to the upper ends of the members '12.

In the closed position of the door, shown in Fig. 2, it'abuts against a horizontal bar 21 extending between the lower ends of the posts 2. On grasping the handle at the lower edge of the door, shown in Fig. 1, the door may be lifted and turned about the axis of the pintles 17 'andthe outwardly extending flanges of the bars 14 will ride upon the rounded pins or rollers 6 in carryingthe door from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 1. This movement may continue until the legs 16 of the bail carrying the door come against the stop pins 7 (see Fig. 3).. The return'of the door to closed position is by merely grasping the handle and turning the door downwardly until its lower edge comes against the bar21 and the outwardly'extending flanges of the angle bars 14 come against the pins 7, whilethe "upper portion of the door comes against the downwardly extending lip of the metal plate 9.. i I y This construction has been in practice,use and on sale for nearly two years andhas proved especially satisfactory in all respects.

The connection of the arms 16 by the cross rod 15 provides a simple and convenient way of attaching a glass door having metal frame inembers'to the arms 16 and at the same time provides a construction which equalizes the movements of the door at both ends thereof and prevents any binding or cramping of the door movement due tounequal movements of the ends of the doors. The inven- 'tion s defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

[I claim: p 7 p r 1.'A case having an open front, a door to close said'front of the case, said door comprising a frame including'a lower member of channel form and end members connected to the ends of said lower member and extending at right angles therefrom, said end members alsobeing of channel form, glass received and held in the channels of said lowerand end members of the frame, a rod extending lengthwise of the lower frame channel 11181-5 her and inside the same and extending at its closed to open position.

open front, adoor-to close the ends beyond the end channel members of the frame, said rod at each end being turned at right angles adapting the same to lie at each end of the door,'the ends of said arms having pivotal mounting on the case at the ends of the door opening, means carried by said case at each end of the door opening and at the upper part thereof, and means on each end of the door adapted to ride on said first means when the door is moved from closed to open position, said means at the door being spaced from the means carried by the said case when the door is in closed position.

- 2. In combination, a case having a door opening, a door comprising a metal frame including a lower horizontal channel shaped frame member and two channel'shaped'end members secured at the ends of and extending at right angles from said lower member,

glass in the channels of said frame members, a substantially U-shaped bail comprising spaced apart arms connected bya horizontal cross'member, said cross member being seated in the lower-channel frame member between the bottom thereof and the adjacent edge of he glass, and said arms extending substantiallyat right angles from the cross member,

angle members secured to' each of the endmembers of said frame having flanges projecting outwardly from the-end members 0 the frame, the free ends of said arms having pivotal connection to the case at the ends of the door opening, and'means mounted on the case at the ends of the door opening above and against which theflanges on said angle bars ride when the door is -moving from 1 3. In combination with a show case having an open front, a post at each end of said front of the case and extending between said posts, arms, one at each end' of the door, pivotally connected at one end to the adjacent posts and at their other ends to the door near its lower edge, and stop means on the posts in thepath of movement of said arms to limit the opening movement of the door, said stop means abutting the door when the door isinl its closed position.

4. In combination, a case having an open front and provided with'posts, one at each vertical end of said open front, a door for closing the front of the case, a bail-like member comprising two arms connected by a cross member secured to said door, the cross member lying lengthwise of and at the lower edge portion of the door and said arms extending from the ends of the cross member alongside the inner sides of the posts, whereby the door may be swung from substantially vertical closed position to a substantially horizontal position partly within the case,'flange means on the ends of said door, supporting means adapted to extend under the flange means for carrying and supporting the door as it is moved to open position, said supporting means for the flange means being spaced therefrom when the door tion whereby engagement therebetween does not occur until the door is partly open.

5. In a case having an opening for a door, a door to normally close said opening, supporting elements at each end of said opening, arms pivotally mounted on said supporting elements and extending therefrom to the lower edge of the door and being pivotally mounted therein, a laterally projecting guide and supporting member on each supporting element near the upper end thereof to guide and support the door while it is moved to open position and stop means abutting the said guides when the door is in closed position, said stop means being in the path of movement of the arms to prevent excessive movement thereof.

In testimony whereof I aflix mysignature.

ANTHONY VANDERVELD.

is in closed posi 

